If we build a welcoming environment, they will come...

Congratulations to Diane Mullin and her students for developing their wonder window and attracting a hub of visiting birds.  Much to her disappointment, the window remained void of any life until the one day she happened to be away from her classroom.  Upon her return, the excited chirps of young students telling her about a visit from one solitary bird could be heard from those beyond the classroom.  Since that day, the wonder window has been a gathering place for other birds hoping to enjoy the seeds available to them in the feeder.  Students now have reason to visit the window, while observing the hub of birds against the cold white background of the snow filled school yard.  Purpose for writing is evident as students communicate their observations by drawing birds, describing them through story writing and math talk can be heard as they compare the size and quantity of birds visiting at any given time.  This window has truly become a collaborative project by teacher and students who are anxious to show visitors the life beyond the cold glass of the wonder window.

Gym Ideas

We have been trying to figure out how to incorporate play-based learning ideas into our gym times. So far our best ideas are to provide 1-3 types of gym equipment for the children to use and invite them to make a game or activity with the items.

1. Scoops, balls and pylons
2. Pylons and bean bags
3. Hoola-hoops and pylons and dodgeballs
4. Two hockey nets, pylons and small balls

As you can see, the pylons are the biggest part of our inquiry / play-based gym learning / exercise. We have a set of 70 different sized pylons plus a set of 25 purple rectangle pylons. This gives a large number of pylons available for student use.

We also have lined up our set of 7 tricycles and 12 plasma cars and 1 little red wagon and put out pylons and asked students to make an indoor track (usually I make the track on my prep and then students drive the trikes and plasma car through my track).

These activities provide students with about 15-20 minutes of focused inquiry and engagement. It is neat to see the games they create. Once students began forming numbers with the pylons. Other times students created distance (throwing) challenges with the balls / bean bags. There was lots of "talk" as they started out. For our class, the first 5-8 minutes was chaotic as students tried things that they didn't like or didn't work. The last 10 minutes of play saw the ideas develop into neat games and student-led activities.

The "make a track" activity usually means that several children really like setting up a track and the remainder of the class just puts pylons places. We might ask for "track creating kids" to leave computer class early (my prep) to help me set up.

I need more ideas! I have looked online and can't find many examples of play-based, student or inquiry driven gym class lesson ideas. If you have any, please post!

Snow Inquiry in JK

In January we asked our students what they were interested in learning about during a KBC.  The children decided they were interested in knowing more about planting and snow.  As we talked about planting, the children decided that the winter might not be the best time to explore growing things.  However, they were quite interested in snow, how to make snowballs and where snow comes from.  A few days later we went for a walk around the school yard and then did another KBC.  The discussions centered around what they thought they knew about snow, what they noticed when we were outside and what they still wondered about snow.  Although we have integrated snow into our Water Table, Science Center & Craft Center we are looking to expand the learning of our students in other ways.  We would love some suggestions!

Nature Journals and Pebble Go Website

As part of our Nature Journal (similar to "Hot News") we have a Tuesday and Thursday opportunity for students to discuss nature. We use the website Pebble Go to introduce our Kindergarten learners to animals, insects, weather, seasons, astronomy, geological features, etc. The website is K-3 focused with simple but detailed facts, read-aloud and word highlighting audio options, video clip, maps, and picture add-ons and printable options.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays we look at 1 animal topic (linx, stars, etc.) as a provocation to open doors for discussion and then writing / drawing in their Nature Journals. Our students are not expected to choose the topic of the day, it is simply a talking point for our circle discussions.

For example, yesterday we looked at stars. Before we even got into our topic of stars, a JK with a lot of physical struggles (eye sight, gross motor, hygene etc), got really excited and said that when stars come together you get constellations. We asked him what constellations are and he said, groups of stars that are connected together to make a picture. Minutes later we looked at a constellation and a young JK who doesn't usually say much joined in the conversation and identified the constellation as the big dipper. The discussion continued into exploding stars, gasses, the sun and more. Our discussion are about 3-5 minutes followed by 12 minutes or so of drawing / writing, followed by 10 minutes of author's chair. Many students chose to draw / write about other aspects of nature but some continued on writing / drawing (mostly drawing) about stars and the sun.

The website is a paid website... EXCEPT that Temiskaming Library (New Liskeard area) offers it FREE through its website:

Go To: http://www.temisklibrary.com/
-Click on "your library online"
-Click on "online library e-resources"
-Scroll down and click on Pebble Go.

--Nathan (JK/SK @ GAPS - South Porcupine)

Might this be someone's window?  A very pleased principal shared it with me soon after our session.

District School Board Ontario North East: Natural Curiosity and Student Inquiry Community